What Now?
by Neji Tetsu
Summary: Hinata challenges Neji to a final battle. What will be the outcome and what will both Hyuugas learn? [HinaNeji ONESHOT fluff


A/N: Okay, this one's a Neji/Hina type thing. My first ever attempt, so if you've got any critique, be gentle. Mind you, I'm not yet a pro at writing these things, so they might be a bic OC at first. I got pretty good feedback on my NaruSasu, so I'm hoping this one will do just as good. -crosses fingers- Also this is in the future. It's my own plot so... Anyway, it's mainly just Neji and Hinata in this one.

Rating: 13+ for mild language and violence.

Pairing: Neji/Hinata

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of the characters. They belong to Kishimoto-sensei. Trust me, if they were mine there would be more than a subtle crush between Sasuke and Naruto. :3

_Rain was something that didn't occur too often in Konoha. Sure, it happened when a tragedy came by, or when the trees were dying, but it was still rare. The pale eyes of a Hyuuga couldn't even predict what would happen on that day. A day when the view of Neji for Kiba, Lee, Sasuke, Naruto, Tenten and Sakura would change. Even Shino would look at him differently. Not because of a change in style, attitude or outfit, but a change in the air around him. A change that only one person was strong enough to make..._

Starting out in the usual way, Neji's morning consisted of waking up before the sun rose and training until his legs trembled. Hyuuga Hinata's day was similar, only her own training methods were a bit milder that her cousin. Neji huffed, brushing his dark hair out of his face and letting the Byakugan slip away as he straitened up, cracking his back and neck. He'd worked up an appetite, but with a mission in only a few minutes he desided he'd skip breakfast and head to the mission report desk to get the info he needed for what he had to do.

One there, he took the slip of paper, reading it over and then looking to his old academy teacher, Umino Iruka. He smiled, looking at the Hyuuga, "I'm still surprised by how much you've grown, Neji," he said. Neji smirked a bit and inclined his head, "All thanks to you, sensei." With that, he did a simple transportation jutsu and vanished in a puff of gray smoke. His mission was a simply information gathering, and since he'd not had a mission in almost three months he felt his Byakugan wasn't being put to any real use and volunteered himself for it.

After a day had passed, he was back home, laying on his bed and staring at the ceiling with the ever-so-famous questions floating in his head: What now? And was all of this worth it? He knew that he'd have to wait until the end of his life to find out if all of his troubles were worth it. Neji, thanks to a certain blonde he grew up with, knew that fate was a fickle thing. It could be changed, but only if that person was willing to change it, and themselves. His life was better, granted, but still hard. Now, any good Shinobi knew that the life of a ninja was a hard one, but it was especially so for the second branch of the Hyuuga clan. That part he hated, but learned to live with over time and was now almost as loyal as his father had been. Granted, he wouldn't let his own life be taken to save Hinata's neck, but he was loyal enough. His thoughts were interrupted by a soft knock on the door. "Who's there?" He asked in an obviously tired voice.

"N-Neji-san?" It was Hinata's voice that replied, "I... have something to ask of you."

Neji grunted and sat up on the bed, "Come in," he growled.

Hinata did so, peeking in. "What do you want?" Neji crossed his arms over his chest, standing and narrowing his white eyes at her.  
"I... I want to challenge you, brother," she said, tapping her index fingers together under her chin, "Please? I-I've been practicing really, really hard and I want to see if-"  
"Fine." Hinata looked at him as if he'd grown another head.  
"What?"  
"Fine. I'll fight you, but don't even think about winning."

Outside was where the battle was held. Hinata was sure she'd win this time. No, she was positive. She activated her Byakugan, just as Neji did and took her fighting stance, palmed faced outward in the Gentle Fist style of the Hyuuga clan. Neji did the same, still glaring at her, "You've made a bad choice, Hinata-san. You should have learned your lesson the first time we fought."

Hinata shook her head, "No. I know what I'm doing this time."

In a flash of chakra, the battle began, both efficiently dodging the other's attacks. Neji was impressed by his cousin's improvement, but didn't at all hold back. As her hand came towards his heart, just like last time, he grabbed her wrist and sent a shot of chakra through her arm. Hinata winced, and in the mere second this lasted, Neji kicked her back. She landed hard on the ground, sliding into a tree. A moment later, she was on her feet again, then was knocked back. Neji found the deja vu of this fight over-whelming and shook his head a bit, "You need to back down before you get killed, Hinata," he said sternly, pulling back his hand and preparing to deal the final blow. Just as he moved, she grabbed his wrist and shot a bolt of her own chakra through his right shoulder.

"I'm never giving up!" She said, yelping as Neji, again, flung her back. Why was she so determined to beat him? It was no use.

Hinata sat up, wiping blood from her chin, "You're still hurting, aren't you, Neji-san?" She looked up at him, eyes wide with what seemed to be sadness and sympathy. Standing again, she took the stance, "You still hate me... For being born in the Main Branch... Don't you?..." Neji gritted his teeth, dashing forward and shooting chakra right through her.  
"Stay down, Hinata." He said, biting the inside of his lip. Her determination... It was just unbelievable. The kunoichi stood again, breathing hard and coughing up blood.

"Neji... It's not my fault... I... I'd take your place if I could..." She coughed again, and again was thrown back by the intensity of Neji's hit.

"Please, Hinata, stay down. I don't want to kill you but if if happens I can't be blamed."

Again, Hinata stood, a tear falling and hitting the ground, "Neji... I'm sorry... I... I really- Ah!" This time she hit the tree back first.  
"Hinata! Stay down!"

She was trembling now as she stood, "No... I promised I would change... and I never... go back on my word..."

Once again she was struck back. "Hinata, please, don't get up..." Neji's voice sounded weak, weather by accident or not as he let his arms fall to his sides, "Just... stay on the ground."

"Not until... I beat you, Neji..." She was struggling to stand again when a strong hand wrapped around her arm and pulled her up. She looked up and her eyes widened when she saw Neji, eyes glassy, pulling her to her feet. "N... Neji?"  
He bit the inside of his lip, letting go of her, "Hit me... Hinata, do it." She looked down at her hand, then up at her cousin. In a flash, the shot a burst of chakra through him. Neji coughed hard, blood dripping down his chin as, this time, he looked up at her and a slight twitch in the corners of his lips put a sad smirk on his face, "You win." Inside, he was amazed by how strong she'd grown. Hinata fell to her knees in front of him, smiling softly as she cupped his cheek in her small hand. She knew what he was thinking, now that he had his guard down and the barriers around his mind were weakened.

"No, brother, you... have grown the most," she said, taking in a long, wheezy breath. She couldn't tell if it was the rain or just her imagination, but Hinata could swear she saw a tear fall over her fingers.

Neji coughed again, "Hinata... How do you do it?"

"How do I-"  
"You've... always been so much stronger than me..."

Hinata shook her head, "No..."  
"Yeah... I... I let my challenges get to me in the worst way... They made me bitter towards... everyone..." He looked down, moving her hand, "I'm... I'm sorry..." Neji's voice broke and Hinata just watched for a few minutes before bringing him close to her, wrapping her arms around his shoulders as the shook. For the first time ever, she saw Neji weak. She saw what life had broken and bended to it's will, and for the first time... she saw a terrified boy afraid of what the future was holding. She saw _the _Hyuuga Neji fall apart in her arms. There was no arrogance there, no snappy attitude... Just a human being bearing his cross, with the weight of the world on his shoulders. She knew it would never happen again, but Hinata would always hold this moment close to her; closer than she held Neji now. Even if he denied it and took it to the grave with him, Hinata would remember. She wouldn't tell anyone. No, she was above that, and the brilliant lightness in her own heart would protect Neji, even if he didn't want that. And Neji, for the first time, knew what love was. Despite the injuries he dealt Hinata, she held him, rocked him gently in her warm arms and told him it would be alright. It was then that he knew everything he'd ever done was worth it.


End file.
